I HAVE served for a number of years in different parts of Africa, including Eritrea and the Sudan, and I know there is no "quick fix" to the situations that exist in a number of such countries.

Consequently, I find it quite unrealistic for Blair to visit the parts he has just visited.

This served no useful purpose and was simply a tour-de-force or political gesture on his part. (As are so many "fact-finding" commissions by politicians!)

Africa, south of the Sahara, is beset by problems, but for those so-minded to blame them on the old colonial powers, let me remind them that most African ex-colonies have now been independent for years and at the time of hand-over of power were left with a viable infrastructure.

The thing that bedevils much of Africa and many other parts of the world is over-population.

The continuing increase in population has obvious and non-obvious effects.

In the Sudan, for example, where the predominant domestic fuel is wood - huge areas have been denuded of trees, leading to shortage of fuel and the extension of deserts.

Water, too, is at a premium and even where there are more than adequate supplies naturally, these are neither organised nor, generally, conserved.

These are practical problems, but they are compounded by mainly socio-political ones: tribal, religious, the lust for and abuse of power by individuals and so-called governments which inevitably leads to corruption and, often, bloodshed.

It is useless pouring financial aid into many areas, without first ascertaining that the aid will be properly supervised.

If African states in general are to climb out of the slough, their governments must be prepared to accept regulated outside help, while at the same time trying to combat over-population and its attendant evils.

R BRACEWELL, Ormerod Street, Worsthorne.